Verses 104 & 105: It is better indeed, to conquer oneself than to conquer others. Neither a deva, nor a gandhabba, nor Mara together with Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of the man who controls himself.

The Story of the Brahmin Anatthapucchaka

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (104) and (105) of this book, with reference to Anatthapucchaka, a brahmin.

On one occasion, a Brahmin by the name of Anatthapucchaka came to the Buddha and said to him, “Venerable Sir, I think that you know only the practices that are beneficial and not the practices that are unbeneficial.” To him, the Buddha answered that he also knew the practices which were unbeneficial and harmful. Then the Buddha enumerated six practices which cause dissipation of wealth; they are: (1) sleeping until the sun has risen, (2) habitual idleness, (3) cruelty, (4) indulgence in intoxicants which causes drunkenness and negligence, (5) sauntering alone in streets at unearthly hours, and (6) sexual misconduct.

Further, the Buddha asked the brahmin how he earned his living, and the brahmin replied that he earned his living by playing dice, i.e., by gambling. Next, the Buddha asked him whether he won or lost. When the brahmin answered that he sometimes lost and sometimes won, the Buddha said to him, “To win in a game of dice is nothing compared to a victory over moral defilements.”

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verses 104 & 105: It is better indeed, to conquer oneself than to conquer others. Neither a deva, nor a gandhabba, nor Mara together with Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of the man who controls himself.

Dhammapada Verses 104 and 105
Anatthapucchakabrahmana Vatthu

Atta have jitam seyyo
ya cayam itara paja
attadantassa posassa
niccam sannatacarino.

Neva devo na gandhabbo
na Maro saha Brahmuna
jitam apajitam kayira
tatharupassa jantuno.

Source: Tipitaka